These are the two hero police officers who dashed into a blazing home to save an 80-year-old woman after a massive gas blast.

Doctors have told constables Steve Suggitt and Julian Townsend that they undoubtedly saved the 80-year-old's life after the blast at a house in Ravenscliffe yesterday.

Fire investigators and Transco engineers believe a build-up of gas occurred after taps on the cooker were left on overnight.

It ignited, causing the huge blast, when the pensioner tried to light a cooker ring at her home in Rimswell Holt, at 8.40am yesterday.

The woman, who has not been named, was pulled from her burning home by constables Suggitt and Townsend who saw the fire as they happened to be driving by on patrol.

The victim was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary, then transferred to a specialist unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, for treatment for severe burns to her head, back, upper body and legs.

Her condition was today described as stable, although still critical, in hospital today.

Fire investigator, Station Officer Nigel Craven, who carried out inquiries at the scene, said no faults had been found with the cooker or the gas heating at the semi-detached home.

"The cause of the explosion was gas and it was linked to the cooker," he said.

As reported in later edition's of yesterday's Telegraph & Argus, the force of the blast blew out the kitchen window at the front of the house, spraying glass and debris over the pavement and road.

Shocked neighbours dialled 999 on hearing the explosion and went to the pensioner's aid.

She was found conscious but badly burned in the still-burning kitchen after PCs Suggitt and Townsend kicked their way into the house through the back door.

"The kitchen was full of flames and she was conscious and screaming on the kitchen floor when we got to her," said PC Suggitt, who is based at Eccleshill police station.

"We got hold of her and pulled her into the back garden. She was badly burned on her legs, arms, face and head.

"We then went back into the house to make sure no one else was inside.

"I went with her to hospital and one of the doctors told me that if we hadn't have got her out when we did she certainly would have died."

Neighbour Mick Gill, 59, who lives opposite and assisted the officers, said thick, choking smoke had also filled the house when the woman was rescued.

He also praised the officers for saving the pensioner from the fire.